Three-section suitcase

Abstract

A soft luggage-type suitcase having three compartments enclosed by panels or lids hinged to a container having top, bottom and side walls. One of the compartments is closed by a lid having a wide rim at its free end and a narrow rim forming a hinge of the lid to the container. A diagonal rim connects the narrow rim to the wide rim. A universal hanger is connected to the wide rim. An extender panel is hinged to the top wall of the container and cooperates with the lid and universal hanger for the packing of long garments.

I claim: 
     
       1. A suitcase comprising, a generally rectangular container having a bottom wall, top wall, end walls, parallel side walls, and a central divider generally parallel to said side walls,   a lid forming one of said side walls of said container, means for hingedly connecting said lid along one edge to said bottom wall,   a slide fastener for connecting the remaining edges of said lid to said end and top walls,   said lid having a top edge and a wide top rim projecting from said top edge, said rim being terminated at its edge by said slide fastener,   said lid having side edges and, on each side edge, a side rim tapering from said wide top rim to said hinge adjacent the bottom edge of said lid, where said side rim is narrow,   whereby closing said slide fastener around corners adjacent said hinge connection is facilitated.   
     
     
       2. A suitcase which is rectangular in transverse cross section comprising, a container having generally parallel side walls, and a central divider parallel to said side walls, and a rectangular edge forming an opening,   a container rim around said edge,   a lid forming one of said side walls and hinged to said container rim and having a lid rim around its perimeter,   slide fastener means on said container rim and said lid rim, respectively, for joining said rims together to close said container,   the slide fastener extending diagonally across the sides of said rims so that said lid rim is narrow where hinged to wide container rim, and wide at the free edge of said lid.   
     
     
       3. A suitcase as in claim 2 further comprising a universal hanger bracket fixed to the free edge of said lid within said lid rim, said universal bracket accepting conventional wire hangers, whereby garments can extend across said lid and container.   
     
     
       4. A suitcase as in claim 3 further comprising, a folding bar mounted across said container adjacent the hinge connection of said lid to said container,   said folding bar minimizing creasing of clothes when said lid is closed,   said folding bar being pivotably fixed at one end to said container and releasably secured at the other end to said container.   
     
     
       5. A suitcase comprising, a container having a top wall, bottom wall and end walls,   a lid hinged to said bottom wall and having a free edge,   a hanger bracket mounted on the free edge of said lid,   and an extender panel hinged to said top wall,   whereby, when said lid is opened in one direction and said panel is swung in the opposite direction, a garment can be hung from said hanger bracket and laid across said lid, container and extender panel.   
     
     
       6. A suitcase as in claim 2 further comprising, a rigid reinforcement extending across the wide portion of said lid rim and around its corners,   a rigid reinforcement across the wide portion of said container rim where said lid is hinged to said container rim.   
     
     
       7. A suitcase comprising, a central section having a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls forming a container,   a central panel across said container,   a lid hinged to said bottom wall at one side of said container thus forming a first compartment, a slide fastener mounted between said lid and said container,   a middle panel hinged to said bottom wall at the other side of said container thus forming a second compartment, a panel slide fastener mounted between said middle panel and said container to form a closable middle compartment between said middle and central panels,   an outside panel hinged to said bottom wall adjacent said middle panel thus forming a third compartment, and a third slide fastener mounted between said outside and middle panels to create an outside compartment between said outside and middle panels.   
     
     
       8. A suitcase as in claim 7 further comprising, a slide fastener across said outside panel permitting limited access only to said outside compartment.   
     
     
       9. A suitcase as in claim 7 further comprising, said lid having a free edge,   a hanger bracket mounted adjacent said free edge,   and an extender panel hinged to said top wall,   whereby, with said lid and extender panels extending in opposite directions, a garment can be laid across said lid, said container, and said extender panel.   
     
     
       10. A suitcase comprising, a container having a rectangular edge forming an opening,   a container rim around said edge,   a lid hinged to said container rim and having a lid rim around its perimeter,   slide fastener means on said container rim and said lid rim, respectively, for joining said rims together to close said container,   the slide fastener extending diagonally across the sides of said rims so that said lid rim is narrow where hinged to wide container rim, and wide at the free edge of said lid,   a universal hanger bracket fixed to the free edge of said lid within said lid rim, said universal bracket accepting conventional wire hangers, whereby garments can extend across said lid and container,   a length extender panel hingedly connected to said container rim opposite said lid hinge,   a strap across said extender panel to hold a garment to said panel,   whereby when said lid is open, a garment can be laid across said lid, said container and said extender panel prior to folding said extender panel within in said container and fastening said lid on said container.